Dolphin Davinci Audio Tools

KDE Dolphin service menus for audio/video conversion optimized for Davinci Resolve on Linux

Overview

Dolphin Davinci Audio Tools provides right-click context menu options in KDE Dolphin to convert video files for compatibility with Davinci Resolve on Linux. Since Davinci Resolve on Linux doesn't support AAC audio natively, this tool makes it easy to convert your files to professional formats that work seamlessly.

Problem Solved

Davinci Resolve Limitation: Cannot handle AAC audio streams in video files
Linux Solution: Easy conversion to compatible formats without leaving the file manager
Professional Codecs: Support for industry-standard DNxHD/DNxHR intra-frame codecs

Key Features

Audio Conversions: Convert audio to FLAC, WAV, or AAC — any input codec FFmpeg supports
Davinci Resolve Codecs: DNxHD (≤1080p) and DNxHR SQ (>1080p) with smart resolution detection
Container Support: Professional .mov containers for DNx codecs
Progress Tracking: Single batch dialog with pending files and duration-based ETA
Batch Processing: Convert multiple files simultaneously
Metadata Preservation: Maintains video streams, subtitles, chapters, and metadata
Orientation Support: Works with both horizontal and vertical video content

Dependencies

You must install these dependencies before using the tool:

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt install ffmpeg kdialog qdbus-qt5 libnotify-bin bc

Fedora/CentOS/RHEL

sudo dnf install ffmpeg kdialog qt6-qttools libnotify bc

Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S ffmpeg kdialog qt6-tools libnotify bc

openSUSE

sudo zypper install ffmpeg kdialog libqt6-qttools libnotify-tools bc

Other Distributions

ffmpeg: For video/audio conversion
kdialog: For native KDE progress and confirmation dialogs
qdbus / qdbus6: Qt D-Bus tools (required to update kdialog progress bars)
libnotify/notify-send: For desktop notifications
bc: For mathematical calculations in progress tracking

Installation

Automatic Installation (Ubuntu/Debian & Arch Linux)

cd dolphin-davinci-audio-tools
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

The installer will:

Check for missing dependencies
Offer to install them automatically on Ubuntu/Debian and Arch Linux systems
Install service menus to the correct Dolphin location
Set proper permissions
Display usage instructions

Supported distributions for automatic installation:

Ubuntu/Debian and derivatives (Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, etc.)
Arch Linux and derivatives (Manjaro, EndeavourOS, Garuda, etc.)

Manual Installation (All Distributions)

Install dependencies manually (see above)

Create the service menu directory:

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/kio/servicemenus

Copy service menu files:

cp servicemenus/*.desktop ~/.local/share/kio/servicemenus/
chmod +x ~/.local/share/kio/servicemenus/*.desktop

Copy scripts to a user-accessible location:

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/dolphin-davinci-audio-tools
cp scripts/* ~/.local/share/dolphin-davinci-audio-tools/
chmod +x ~/.local/share/dolphin-davinci-audio-tools/*

Restart Dolphin to reload service menus:
```
kquitapp5 dolphin && dolphin
```

Usage

After installation, simply right-click on video or audio files in Dolphin and select "Davinci Resolve Conversions" from the context menu.

Available Conversions

Audio Conversions

Audio to FLAC (delete original file): Any audio → FLAC (16-bit, 48kHz), replaces original
- Video files → .mkv; audio-only (e.g. .m4a, .mp3) → .flac
Audio to FLAC (new file): Any audio → FLAC, creates new file, preserves original
- Video → new .mkv; audio-only → new .flac
Audio to WAV (replace, keep container): Any audio in a video file → PCM in the original container (for Resolve proxies)
- Skips audio-only files (use “Audio to WAV (.wav)” instead)
Audio to WAV (.wav, delete original file): Any audio-only file → standalone .wav, replaces original
Audio to AAC (replace original): Any non-AAC audio → AAC (192kb/s, 48kHz), replaces original
- Video → same container (.mp4/.mov); audio-only → .m4a
Audio to AAC (new file): Any non-AAC audio → AAC, creates new file
- Video → .mp4/.mov; audio-only → .m4a

Davinci Resolve Video Conversions

Convert to DNxHD/DNxHR (replace): Any resolution → appropriate intra-frame codec, replaces original file
Convert to DNxHD/DNxHR (.mov): Any resolution → appropriate intra-frame codec, creates new .mov file, preserves original
Skips audio-only files (requires a video stream)

Note: The "to_davinci_resolve" scripts automatically convert to DNxHD (≤1080p) or DNxHR SQ (>1080p) based on video resolution.

Smart Container Selection

The tool automatically selects the best container format for optimal compatibility:

FLAC Conversions: Video → .mkv; audio-only → .flac
DNxHD/DNxHR Conversions: Creates .mov files for professional standards (required by DNx codecs)
AAC Conversions: Video → .mp4/.mov; audio-only → .m4a
WAV Conversions: Audio-only → .wav; video proxies → PCM in original container

File Extension Changes:

Replace options may change file extensions for compatibility (e.g. track.m4a → track.flac, video.mov → video.mkv)
Original files are backed up temporarily during replacement, then safely removed

Smart Resolution Detection

The tool automatically detects video resolution and selects the optimal codec:

DNxHD: Used for content with ≤1080p total pixels (1920×1080 or 1080×1920)
DNxHR SQ: Used for content with >1080p total pixels (4K and above, any orientation)

Mixed Resolution Support: Select multiple files with different resolutions (HD + 4K) and convert them all at once - each file automatically gets the appropriate codec for its resolution.

Progress Tracking

All conversions include:

Single Batch Dialog: One progress window for the whole selection (does not reopen per file)
Pending File List: Shows remaining conversions in the dialog label
Duration-based ETA: Rough remaining time weighted by media length, not file count
Desktop Notifications: Success/failure notifications when each file completes
Error Handling: Comprehensive error checking and user feedback

File Format Details

Audio Codecs

FLAC: Lossless audio, ideal for archival and professional editing
AAC: High-quality compressed audio (192kb/s, 48kHz, stereo)
Sample Rate: All conversions use 48kHz for professional video compatibility

Video Codecs

DNxHD: Intra-frame codec for ≤1080p content (industry standard)
DNxHR SQ: Scalable codec for >1080p content (4K, 8K, etc.)
Compression: Intra-frame for frame-by-frame editing precision
Color Space: YUV 4:2:2 for professional color grading

Container Formats

.mov: Professional container for DNxHD/HR (recommended for Davinci Resolve)
.mkv: Open container for audio conversions
.mp4: Standard container for AAC conversions

Supported File Types

Input Formats

Video: All formats supported by FFmpeg (.mp4, .mkv, .mov, .avi, etc.)
Audio: All formats supported by FFmpeg (.aac, .flac, .wav, .mp3, etc.)

Output Formats

Video: .mov (DNxHD/HR), .mkv (FLAC in video)
Audio: .flac, .wav, .m4a (AAC), .mp4/.mov (AAC in video)

Examples

Converting Audio for Davinci Resolve

Right-click on a video or audio file
Select Davinci Resolve Conversions → Audio to FLAC (new file)
Wait for conversion to complete
Use the new file in Davinci Resolve with fully compatible audio

Converting 4K Video to Professional Codec

Right-click on 4K video file
Select "Davinci Resolve Conversions" → "Convert to DNxHD/DNxHR (.mov)"
The tool automatically detects 4K resolution and applies DNxHR SQ
Result: Professional-grade video ready for editing

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Service Menu Not Appearing

# Restart Dolphin
kquitapp5 dolphin && dolphin

# Check service menu installation
ls -la ~/.local/share/kio/servicemenus/

Note: Service menu validation warnings are normal and don't affect functionality. KDE service menus use different standards than regular .desktop files.

Dependency Issues

# Verify all dependencies are installed
which ffmpeg kdialog notify-send bc
which qdbus6 || which qdbus

# Test FFmpeg functionality
ffmpeg -version

Permission Errors

# Make sure scripts are executable
chmod +x ~/.local/share/dolphin-davinci-audio-tools/*
chmod +x ~/.local/share/kio/servicemenus/*.desktop

Conversion Failures

Check system logs: journalctl -r
Verify file permissions and disk space
Ensure source files aren't corrupted

Uninstallation

Automatic Uninstallation

cd dolphin-davinci-audio-tools
chmod +x uninstall.sh
./uninstall.sh

Manual Uninstallation

# Remove service menus
rm ~/.local/share/kio/servicemenus/dolphin-davinci-conversions.desktop

# Remove scripts
rm -rf ~/.local/share/dolphin-davinci-audio-tools

# Restart Dolphin
kquitapp5 dolphin && dolphin

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

This project is provided as-is for educational and personal use. Please ensure you have appropriate rights to convert and modify any media files.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! When submitting changes:

Test thoroughly with various file formats and resolutions
Ensure compatibility across different Linux distributions
Follow existing code style and conventions
Update documentation as needed

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
docs		docs
scripts		scripts
servicemenus		servicemenus
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
Design.md		Design.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
install.sh		install.sh
uninstall.sh		uninstall.sh

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